


Brass

by Vera



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: M/M, Remus_Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-08-08
Updated: 2004-08-08
Packaged: 2017-10-02 05:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vera/pseuds/Vera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Winter sunshine, boys, games of chance.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Brass

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to serenissima for the excellent beta advice. Written for the Remus_Remix.

**luzdeestrellas' drabble**

_"How about it, Remus? Tails I go; heads I stay."_

_There was no answer to give; so Sirius lifted the muggle coin, just as Remus had shown him years ago, and held it poised in his hand._

_"There's also heads I don't ask, and tails you tell me where you were last night, but neither of us like that one, so stay or go it is."_

_It had taken more than one night to bring them here; they both knew it, but as the coin flew from Sirius's long fingers, Remus could only remember how it had felt to have those hands focussed on him, and was unable to confess where he had been: all the more so because he knew that Sirius, who dealt cruelties more easily than anyone Remus had ever known, would still always have been faithful._

_Neither of them looked as the coin landed, but Sirius packed anyway._

__

 

Sirius turns the Muggle coin over. There's a pretty woman on one side, jewellery in her hair. Good profile. She reminds him of one of his third cousins, the nice one who died young. The coin has seven sides. He counts silently, running his finger around the rim, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven players on a team. Seven years of school. On the other side of the coin a woman in a helmet is sitting on a lion. Gryffindor, he thinks, and smiles.

He's sprawled on his bed, propped on his elbows, a handful of Muggle coins on the bedspread before him. He stirs a finger through them, they clank against one another, heavier than real money. "So what's this game?"

Remus is tucked into the corner of the window at the end of Sirius's bed, his eyes washed clear in the sunlight and rolling a flashing coin across his knuckles. His bare toes are visible under the hem of his robe, when Sirius pinches them to get Remus's attention they're cold.

"We let the outcome of throwing the coin direct our choice. The side with the head is called 'heads' and the other side is called 'tails'. I throw the coin, you decide which side will be uppermost when it lands. If you pick the right side, you win."

"That's a bit random for you. Will you let chance determine your fate?"

Remus smiles at the pale, cloud streaked sky outside Gryffindor Tower, then turns his head to face Sirius.

"No. I'll let chance determine yours."

Remus folds his fingers and balances the coin on his thumb.

"Heads or tails?"

He flicks his thumb and they watch the coin spin up and up.

Sirius chuckles, "Tails."

The coin drops into Remus's waiting palm and he slaps his other hand over it.

"Sure?"

Sirius crawls up the bed to kneel in front of him and his eyes sparkle darkly as he leans over Remus's hands. "Show me."

"You can still back out," Remus's breath is warm against his ear; he feels it in his toes.

Sirius grasps his uppermost hand and tugs but Remus is strong and his hands are clasped firmly together, so Sirius grabs both hands and tries to pull them apart. He flicks his head to clear his hair from his face and meets Remus's gaze with open challenge.

"You must be joking. Show me." He can feel Remus lean and strong under his robes as they struggle. The window creaks as Sirius wrestles Remus against it. His foot slips a bit but he recovers and the coins on the bed clank when they hit the floor.

"Let go. Let _go_, Sirius."

He does, holding his hands up and away and sitting back on his ankles. He feels bright and flushed, breathless though the exertion of their brief clinch doesn't justify it. Remus is haloed in winter sunlight, hands clasped over his head like victory, his shirt askew, one eyebrow raised. He lowers his hands and waits for Sirius to shuffle closer, to see as he starts to lift his right, uppermost hand away.

"Hold on," Sirius interrupted, fingers gentle on the back of Remus's hand, "are you sure you caught it in that hand? You haven't mixed them up, have you? Twisted your hands around?"

"If you don't know, does it matter?"

Remus blocks the light from the window, casting Sirius in shadow and deepening his frown. A smile slips across Remus's face and he uncovers the coin, turning his upper hand so that he's holding Sirius's.

There's a moment of still breath as they look at the face revealed.

"_Lion passant guardant_," Remus murmurs, "_royally crowned._"

"Tails?" Sirius pulls him down to the bed and gropes his arse, "Then I'll have yours, Moony," and Remus laughs before he's kissed.

 


End file.
